Boot-treeing machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. COPELAND & J. E. CRISP.

Boot Treeing Machine.

Patented Nov. 23, 1880.

(No Model.)

2 WITNESES' agfllm w (No Model.) 3 Sham -Sheet 2. G. W. COPELAND & J. E. CRISP. Boot Treeing Machine. No. 234,658. Patented Nov. 23,1880.

NVPEWERS. FKOTO-LITHOGRAPHEFL WAQHINGTON. D. C.

(No Model.) I s 8heets-Shet 3, G. W,-. COPE-LAND & J. E. CRISP.

Boot Treeing Machine. No. 234,658. Patented Nov. 23,1880.

ilwirsn STA ES PATENT Crrica.

GEORGE W. COPELAND, OF MALDEN, AND JOSEPH E. CRISP, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO CHINE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD,

THE COPELAND BOOT TREEING MA- CONNECTICUT.

BOOT-TREEING MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,658, dated November 23, 1880.

Application filed July 2, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. COPE- LAND, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex, and JOSEPH E. CRISP, of Boston,in the county of Sufiolk, both in the State of Massachusetts,

have invented an Improvement in Boot-Treein g Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention embraces, first, a carriage for holding two or more boot-trees provided with horizontal movement; second, means for lockin g said carriage in any desired position; third, a rub-stick of peculiar construction; fourth, means for pressing a rub-stick upon the boot-leg while it is being moved by hand or by power.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation of our improvement. Fig. 2' represents a view, part in plan and part in section,

of the device for locking the carriage in any required position. Fig. 3 is an elevation of our improved rub-stick. Fig. 4 is a plan of the carriage. Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the rub-stick. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one set of the rubbing blocks or pads. Fig. 7 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 8 illus trates, in elevation, a modification of the work ing-surface of a rubbing block or pad.

The carriage A is made in any desirable 0 way, of any suitable material,and is provided with the rolls or wheels to, which are secured upon the shaft a, journaled in the uprights a or fastened to the frame-work of the carriage in any other desirable manner, and which are 3 5 arranged to run on the track a The carriage is further provided with two or more posts, B, each of which supports the hollow journal or socket 1), into which the knee end of the tree is inserted, and in which the boot-tree is adapted to be revolved by any suitable means.

The boot-tree B may be of any desirable construction, and when heat is employed it may have that described in the application of Crisp and Copeland filed May, 1880, and now 5 pending before the Patent Office. When heated trees are used we arrange the pipe 0 at the rear of the sockets b for distributing the steam, hot water, hot air, or other heating medium to the trees, and connect the trees therewith by means of the supply-pipes c. A smaller pipe, 0, parallel with the large pipe C, but on a lower level, and having connection with each tree by means of the short pipe 0 receives the drip exhaust-steam, hot air, or other heat-conveyin g medium after it has been passed through the tree. Y n

Thedistributing-pipeCis also provided with the conducting-pipe 0 by which the steam, hot water, or hot air is conveyed to it from the heat-generator. The mechanism for locking the carriage in any given position consists in the lever D, which is pivoted at d to the arms d,projectin g outwardly from the bracket d and which carries at its end the lockingblock 01 which is provided with \l-shaped re cesses cl on either side. This locking-block has a vertical movement in a recess, d in the bracket (1 and also in the block d, which is attached to the frame of the carriage. Upon lifting the locking-block itis disengaged from the recess in the block (1 and the carriage is free to be moved. As many locking-blocks d are provided the'carriage as there are boottrees.

Although any treeing-tool may be used for the purposes of this invention, we preferably employ a tool having the construction shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6, and 7. This tool has two or more rubbing-pads, E, pivoted to the arms 6 in such a manner that their rubbing-surface 8o automatically conforms to that position of the surface of the boot-tree upon which they are moved. Each pair of the arms 0 may be pivoted to a stud, e, projecting horizontally from a rocking block, 6 which is itself pivoted at e to the brackets or blocks 0 fastened to the bar e We prefer to use the pads in pairs, and when two pairs are used the arrangementshown in Fig. 6is deemed preferable, in which case the block 6 is provided with two arms, 0 c, which diverge from the pivot 6 and each of which carries a stud, e, for the support of the arms e supporting the pads. The bar or rod 0 is provided with the handle 6".

The pads may be made of leather, wood,

metal, glass, or anyother suitable material, and preferably should have a rounded workin g-surface.

In Fig. 8 we show a modification in the shape of the working-surface of the pad, and where a rubbing-tool having two pads only is employed it is desirable that the pads be thus shaped. When a tool having two pads is used the lower pivot upon the arm 0 only is essential for the purpose of permitting the automatic conformation of the pads to the work. Where two pairs are used the lower pivot and the pivots c are sufficient to provide the pads with the necessary adjustment for automatic conformation.

\Vhere eight pads are used it is necessary that there should be three pivotsnamely, the two above mentioned and the pivots e \vhicl1 permits the movement of one set of pads in relation to the other set of pads, whereby the automatic conformation of the entire series of pads is obtained. This tool may be used upon the boot-tree much as the ordinary hand rubstick is employed, or it may be used in conneetion with mechanism which is in whole or in part automatic; and, if desired, rollers similar to those shown in patents previously granted to J. E. Crisp may be substituted for the pads in this rub-stick.

In Fig.1 we represent a construction de signed to be partly automatic, and it consists in the hinged cylinder F, suspended above the boot-tree from the bracketf or other suitable support, in which is arranged a piston that supports the rod f, that is fastened to the bar 6 of the rubbing-tool. The connection between the said rod and bar is such that the tool is provided with a swiveling movement.

Compressed air is introduced into the cylinder by means of the supply-pipe f which is provided with a suitable regulatin g-va-lve. By this mechanism an elastic pressure is given the rub-stick, so that the operator in moving the same will not be obliged to bear upon the boot-tree, but will simply move it to and fro upon the tree. As much pressure may be given the tool by these means as is required, and as it is of an elastic or spring-like nature the burden of moving the tool by hand will not be great, and will be much less than if the operator were obliged, in addition to moving the tool, to also bear upon the same for the purpose of giving the tool sufficient pressure. Of course automatic mechanism may be employed in reciprocatinga rub stick or tool when thus held down to its work automatically.

In operation, when heat is employed the boot is adjusted upon the boot-tree and slightly rubbed to make it conform to and fit the surface of the tree. The carriage is then moved by the operator and another boot is adjusted upon the boot-tree and the fitting thereto accomplished as above stated. This allows the boot upon the first tree to be drying while the operator is inani imlating the second. The carriage may then be moved and the third tree presented to the operator and the third boot fitted thereon, as above stated, while the other two are drying, and the carriage may be provided with as many boot-trees as necessary for economically doing the work in this manner. When the boot upon the first treeissufliciently dry either to be removed or to receive a finishing manipulation the carriage is moved back to its original position, and such further work is done by the operator as may be necessary for properly completing the treein g operation. The boot may then be allowed to remain upon the tree somewhat longer if it is necessary to dry it further, when it is removed. Meanwhile the operator attends to the other boots in their order.

Of course we do not confine our invention in the operation of treeing to the movements herein described, but leave the same to the discretion of the treer, the object being to provide means whereby the operator may be at work upon some portion of the process while other portions of the process are being improved and speeded by means of heat.

We do not confine ourselves to the specific construction of the carriage herein described for giving the boot-tree supports a horizontal reciprocating movement, but may use a jack or carriage of any desirable construction which shall provide the said supports with a traversing movement for the purpose of presenting successive boot-trees to the operator, and in this connection we mention the use of an endless belt operating by what is substantially known as the planer motion as an equivalent for the carriage.

The movement of the pads on their pivots may be limited, when desired, by suitable stops, in order that they may be prevented from turning sufficiently to present the sharp corner to the leather when the tool is being adjusted to the tree.

We reserve the right to make a separate application for the rub-stick herein described as a tool for hand use only, and without connection With an organized machine.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination of means for supporting and presenting two or more boottrees to the operator, consisting of the carriage A, mounted on the rolls a or other anti-friction supports, and carrying two or more standards, B, and boottree-holding devices I), with a boot-treers rubstick adapted to be held or pressed against the surface of the tree by compressed air or other elastic medium, and suspended above the carriage, substantially as shown, and adapted to be used successively upon each boot-tree by the horizontal movement of the carriage in relation thereto, as described.

2. The combination of two or more boottrees, a jack for supporting the same, the distributing-pipe O, the supply-pipe 0, connect ing the distributing-pipe with the trees, and the exhaust 0, connected with each tree by the pipe 0 substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination of a rub-stick consisting of two or more pairs of pads, E, pivoted to automatically conform to the surface of the boot-tree, and attached to a support provided with handles 0 with the boot-tree, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination, in a boot-treeing machine, of two or more pairs of pads, E, pivoted in relation to each other to the cross-bar or support 6 substantially as described, the cross-bar e the handles 0 and a boot-tree, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a boot-treeing machine, the combination of a boot-tree adapted to be revolved on its support, a rub-stick held or pressed against the surface of the tree by compressed air or other elastic medium, and the handles 6 for moving said rub-stick by hand upon the surface of the tree, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A boot-treers rub-stick having a pair of pads pivoted to arms e, which are fastened directly to the supporting-bar e or to an intermediary block and having the handle 0 whereby the distance between the centers of the pads is constant and the working-surface of the stick automatically conforms to the surface of the tree upon contact therewith, substantially as and for the purposes described.

GEO. W. COPELAND. J. E. CRISP. Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J. F. LEAMANN. 

